Personal notice, changes my stock and trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Music. Standard Oil Company of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West, invites you to let George do it. Music. Island in the desert, another adventure of George Valentine. Music. Dear Mr. Valentine, look at that dear Mr. Valentine, just like any amateur, like any old woman who shakes in her boots. So I'm going to say it different, George, you old busto, rescue me quick. I am surrounded by heat. I am shipwrecked in desperation. I am lost in the middle of a hotel room, in the middle of an island, half in your country, half in mine. An island in the desert, amigo, in the middle of the continent, with dirty old buildings for trees, with snails for people. But George, if I could look out the window across the border, I know that you were there. Ah George, then I could hope to escape. Two days I am here and it is I who am burning up, because there is lots more in this old pair of border towns beside the heat that cycles. Sometimes it catches on fire, and where I should find just ashes. Sometimes I find lizards, I find rattlesnakes, I find... I find... And that's all he wrote, isn't it? Eh, see, see Mr. Valentine. The sheriff. Buenas dias, Pacheco. I am mine. Or is that what we call you? I mean here in Mexico. Eh, oh sure, sure baby. Sheriff, that's for me. They found the letter under his body, Mr. Valentine, there in the hotel room yesterday. I get it. Sheriff, sure, why not baby? They have one on your side, so I persuade my own people over here. You, you call me Tosco. Ah, well I didn't mind coming down here in a hurry, but... Pablo, Pablo the clean glasses, the cold beer. If you want me to identify this guy who was writing, who got killed, you'd better show me his body, hadn't you? Go, go slow senor, go slow. This is not Tijuana. First I show you my hospitality, my little bar. Eh, wipe them off, Pablo, Pablo, clean. But it's anti-hospitality. What, the slot machines? Well, this is my business. The sheriff is my pleasure. But in my own bar, I can also keep eyes on people, eh? Eh, move, move over, Dutchman. Yeah, yeah, excuse, excuse. Eh, so, two birds with one stone, eh? Ah, here we are. Oh, looking at you baby. Thank you. Yeah, tastes good in this weather. Only this guy who got killed. He seemed energetic and crazy like you, Mr. Valentine. You mean stubborn. Yeah, stubborn. All right, but what else did he look like? Oh, good clothes from Mexico City, young, tall, with a gun. With a gun? Oh yeah, he had a gun. Huh? He carried it under his jacket. Dutchman. Well, excuse, Tasco, but this is the murder you talk about. Wait a minute now, come on, friend, what do you know about it? Well, we, we eat in the same place, the same hotel. We don't talk, but I see him hang up his coat, so I... Americans, you are Americans. He was Mexican. I am Dutch, you understand, and so anxious to get a passport to USA. Perhaps if you could assist me with your mission... Hey, what's all this? What you talking about? What do you know about the man? Well, Tasco... Nothing. You know nothing, huh? No, no, Tasco, excuse me. Americans must be careful, he's looking for a handout, that's all. All right, drink up. I have already checked around, I have the facts the official police will need. That's all. Let's skip the beer, huh, Tasco? You and I ain't gonna see that body right now. Ooh, Morgue's the only cool place in town, huh? Oh, brother, you've got a great sense of humor. No, no, I am not your reverend, only a realist. Death comes often here, like so. Eh, that is he. Yeah, more a show than that. Well, you never got a chance to use it. His name's Reidos, Mackey Reidos. He worked on a case together several years ago. A case? Yeah, Mackey was a private detective, one of the best ones in Mexico. Private detective, huh, so that's who he was. Hey, my sleepy town. You must have had some idea. Didn't he have any identification on him? What have you been doing the past 24 hours? Well, I must do things easy, senor, in his heat. No, no identification, just the man around town asking questions and hiding his name. The letter was all I had to call on the drug you, huh? Yeah, sure, I know. I'm just a little sore, that's all. He was a nice guy. Hey. The wheels are in motion, don't worry. You have done your work, now we'll do ours, senor. Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's the matter? Fire, fire, sir. Oh, of course, the grass fire, the rains never come. The fire is on the American side in the hill in your town. Our engine goes to help sometimes, that is all. Don't, don't, don't be so nervous. Mackey Reidos was a fire insurance... What? You heard me. He investigated fires. Well, in my town that would be appropriate. The Americans say you can fry eggs on our pavement. Moscow, you just said my job was done. Now you'll do yours, is that right? Well, yes, but my hospitality... Okay, then go ahead and do it. I'm leaving, Buster. This place is too hot for me. George, what on earth? Mackey was a friend of yours. You're not going to just run away. Mackey didn't tell anyone in that town his name, Brooks. He left all his identification at home. Now why would a licensed detective do a thing like that? Don't you get it? Oh. Yeah, sure. He didn't trust anybody in this town, not even the police. Tascall? Maybe, I don't know. But at least I don't want to beard that two-language double talk artist again until I know what I'm talking about. You going to see the local police here on the American side? Brooksie, we're going to see the American fire department. Well, there's only the three of us, Mr. Valentine, on regular. This is a small town. I see. I understand you had a grass fire a little while ago. Ah, yes, Miss Brooks. Didn't amount to much, though. Mexicans gave us a hand. Hey, you burned your shirt and got your hair messed up. Ain't that something? How do you think you'll impress a lady with your hair? This is Place. He's our driver. Miss Brooks, Mr. Valentine. And this is Al. He saves the babies and gets the medals. Pleasure. How are you? Hello. Place? Yeah, yeah, like between win and show, huh? Place used to be a jockey. What do you think I am now? Sure, I booted home more losers over in Kelly, and even you ever sit... Place, Mr. Valentine's here to see about a murder. Well, how much does he charge? Very funny. Now, listen to me, both of you. A friend of mine, a Mexican detective, a fire insurance outfit, was across the border on some kind of a job. Well, I saw the Mexican engine come over to help you, so I thought maybe you'd gone over there sometimes. So, Mackey must have been around to ask you boys some questions. Hey, holy smoke. Poor young guy, kind of thin. Yeah, there was a young Mexican here. That's him. Dead, huh? Hmm, that guy's dead. Murdered. Yeah. Well, sure he was here a couple of days ago. He said he couldn't do anything official out of his own country, but he talked to the chief, who was Slim. I think it was about there being too many fires over in that town. I think Firebug was his angle. Come on, Slim's already down at the boarding house. That's where we hang out. Sort of a pool, old lady. Firebug, Mackey was asking questions about a firebug. Well, we never have any trouble on our side, but over there, they've had a lot of fire. Sure, sure, Brooks, see, that makes sense. Now I know why Mackey wanted me here, why he started to let it to me. What do you mean, George? Oh, why, hey, where's the telephone? It's on the wall back in the office, sir. I'll meet you in the boarding house, that full room. Well, it ain't no jockey club, Miss Brooks, but the clientele's nicer. Slim here rigged up an alarm bell outside for us. Yeah, but it only rings when place meets an excuse for missing a three-cushion shot. Now, boys, boys, I'm retiring soon, you see, Miss Brooks. That's what I told your friend Mackey, and I said that in my opinion, a fire's a fire. In 25 years of experience, I've never caught a firebug yet. And I said in this area, it don't make much sense anyway, bringing coal to Newcastle, setting fire to Haiti, and furthermore, in my opinion... All right, turn it off, Pop. Here he comes now. This is Slim, the chief, Mr. Valentine. Oh, hey, Slim. Brooks, see, did you ask him about the time... We made out a list, George, the fires they had lately in the other town. What did you... Son, you know you remind me of a nephew I had once? Yeah? Almost as big and husky as Al here. I used to say to him in my opinion... I'm sorry, Slim, but let me see that list, Angel. I'm in a hurry. Here. Well, now, this here nephew... City-owned garage. That's the one, that's the one. What? Yeah, 10 days ago. I talked to Mackey's office in Mexico City. They hadn't even been notified of his death yet. But that's why they sent him up here, to investigate the burning of that garage. Well, now, I remember that one, but there sure was nothing suspicious. City Garage wasn't nothing but a ramshackle. Chief, it was insured for $25,000 more than it was worth. Holy smoke. City Garage. You know who that means, don't you, Mr. Valentine? I mean, well, it's just like in our country. Every once in a while, a guy gets control of a city... Costco? The one that calls himself sheriff? You should hear what the Mexicans call him. Uh-huh. I think I'll go back and see him now, Brooks. But, George... Marco didn't start any fire, not himself he didn't. Why would Mackey want me here? When he's Mexican, the insurance is Mexican, the fires are in Mexico. Oh, no. Mackey must have found that something came from the USA. Only he couldn't do anything about it. He wasn't licensed here, so all he could do was ask questions on this side. He needed me to run down... George, the fire bug. Mackey must have found out that whoever started the fire came from over here, from the United States. That's it, exactly. But then why are you going down... I'm going to where the trouble happens for him, to the place where the answers are. I'd better find out what Mackey found. Son, I might be a bit of a windbag sometimes, but I'd better point out to you that your friend Mackey, he may be found out too much. It appears to me he must have got killed for asking questions, for getting too close to something hot. Okay, Chief. I'll see how close I can get. I'm sorry, Mr. Valentin, but I said no. You're responsible for immigration here, and you can't cross that border. I what? But we were just over there a few hours ago... We've got a local problem to deal with. We have to cooperate with the other side. Oh, I get it, and they have to cooperate with Tosco. But look, I left him with the impression I was going home for good, skipping his hospitality. Don't underestimate him, Mr. Valentin, like he didn't you. But he has no authority... But he's got a lot of friends. He'd know it if he got across to his town. Frankly, Mr. Valentin, I'm thinking of you. I don't like to let a man get down there and then maybe come back home for good on a slab. Ah, check, checkmate. Oh, brother of... What's the matter? Hey, listen. The bell. What? It's smoke, Angel, on the Mexican side. Sure, that bell's the one outside the pool and the fire alarm bell. Meet me there later. George! Nobody's going to stop a fire engine, Brooksie. But I'm going across, Tosco or not. Hey, Slim, Slim, wait! You've got a new fireman! In just a moment, we'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. You've probably got your vacation trip already mapped out. I don't know whether you're driving north or south or east or west, but I can throw in a reminder that will make your vacation miles more pleasant. Between Canada and Mexico and the Pacific and the Rockies, here's how to be sure of finding clean restrooms for your convenience. Just stop at independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations. Here, the restrooms are cleaned thoroughly and inspected often, kept well supplied with soap and towels. And when you stop at these service stations, you're never made to feel obliged to buy something. So wherever your vacation takes you in the west, count on the convenience of clean restrooms at standard stations and independent Chevron gas stations where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. Now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. You came to this double border town because your friend Macchi Reyes, a Mexican private detective, needed your help. But before you arrived in the sleepy, sweltering place, Macchi had been murdered. Well, he wanted your help because there were things he couldn't do on the United States side of the border. Then you found that you couldn't get back into Mexico. But if your name is George Valentine, you've found an answer to the dilemma. You've remembered that no one ever stops a fire engine, at least when it's headed for a fire. How do you know that your fire engine is running off a log, Mr. Valentine? Nobody even notices you. What if I roll off this truck? How do you hang on to this? Matthew, Barnett, and Ellie, we're rounding the last turn. All right, boys, spin that hose! Valentine, raise you up against a little change of plans. You'd better get lost and hop for another part of town. Yeah, I get it. Tosco's bar's on fire. It's Tosco's old building. Wow! What a pile of insurance that must carry. Hey, and there's a guy who carries it. Go on, go on. I got a sight fast. Thanks. So long. Right. Excuse me, sir. Wait a minute. Oh, sir. Oh, hello, Mary. Yeah, you're one of the guys I'm looking for. You're the Dutchman who said he'd seen Mackie, the man who was murdered. I'd like to talk to you about the United States. You wanted to tell me some information, only Tosco shuts you up. Well, it was nothing really. Now just hold it, Buster. You buttonhole all Americans. Well, Mackie apparently had it figured the guy who starts fires is American. Maybe starts them for Mexican property on us. So tell me about the Americans you see over there. Oh, no, no. No, let me go. I don't know anything. Hey, wait a minute, Q. On your coat here. Let go! I wondered why you were edging away. It's kerosene. It's kerosene. No! Okay, Mackie, you go wrong. Hey, stop that guy, will you? Get out of my way, will you? Hey, stop him. He's the one. Hey, which one? He started a fire out to see you. Look out! Get out of the way! All aboard the stone, aboard! Now the fire's all over. I guess this is where Valentine and the Safe Passage brought company. So long, fire engine. I got work to do right where I am. Hey, hey, you, you. Wake up, will you? Hey, hey, hey. Well, see? See, senor. Now, look, I'm looking for somebody. He's a Dutchman. Well, look, this is the Barzio, isn't it? Hotel, running house, whatever you call it. Oh, oh, yes. Okay, well, does he live here? That's what I mean. Is he here? Look, there's a lady in a restaurant. Says he's been around for months, saving dough to get to the USA. Now, come on, tell me. No, sorry. Oh, like that, huh? Here, a dollar mean anything to you? Yes. All right, two bucks. See? Hmm, not at home, huh? Where else do we look, friend? Where else? Uh, hold it. Maybe just his rums get enough. Yeah. Well, what's the matter with you? Leave me alone here, will you? Go on, Gabby, it won't hurt your conscience. Yes, yes. Okay, here's five bucks. Now get out. Find out where he's going. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Hey, what's this little book? Uh-huh. Yeah. Macky, I think we're getting even closer, because I think we're wrong again. Now listen carefully, Brooksie. The Dutchman has a very interesting bank book. George, I don't understand. And yes, he's the fire bug, all right, but look. But how can you be so... But what? Hey, look, I can't hear you very well. I can hear you, but wait till I raise this mouthpiece. Is that better? Yeah. Oh, George, I was so worried about you. Now, skip it. You're there in the firehouse, aren't you? Yes, in the office. I've been walking around outside, but I grabbed the phone the minute you rang. They've been back here for hours. Angel, you're alone there, aren't you? Well, yes. Everybody's over at the pool hall. Brooksie, we had this whole thing figured backwards. The Dutchman's closet's full of cotton wadding and kerosene. And he's also made bank deposits on every single day they had a fire down there. Ouch. Oh, I burned my finger, that's all. George, there has been somebody in here where I am a few minutes ago. Cigarette butt's still hot here on the pencil rack. I'm sorry, George, you said... Bank deposits, Brooksie. The Dutchman's been paid for starting fires. So if there's an American involved, the way Mackie figured, it's the employer, not the fire back himself. George. Angel, I know it doesn't make sense, but I checked. Every penny the Dutchman's deposited has been in American money. Wait a minute, call you right back, person. Oh, it's you. See? See? How did you find him, friend? Where's the Dutchman? Holy mackerel, mister, the Dutchman's dead. Just murdered. Bingo. Ah. See? MUSIC Brooksie, the Dutchman ran out of here just before I arrived. He received a phone call only a few minutes ago. His body's in an alley several blocks north. You mean the border, George? Yeah, that's right, Angel. He got called to his own death. And the operator said the call was from your side. But you said a few minutes ago. That's just what I said to you about a cigarette being here. Never mind, get out of that place fast. Meet me at the American telephone office and step on it. MUSIC George, there's a record of all calls that go across the border, and the only one around that time to that Dutchman's number was from where we thought it was. And that phone on the wall in the firehouse. All right, come on. But George, I was there, outside, walking around, and I didn't see it. I know, but it happened, didn't it? Somebody was in there to phone. Why don't you cut through here and take a look? Yes, George, somebody just before me, but I... Hey, Mr. Lartine. Wait. Wait. Buenas noches, baby. Tasker. A little out of your bailiwick, aren't you, big sharp? I explained. How long have you been around here? Come on. Since the fire, my fire. Oh, my beautiful bar. I come over. I've been looking for you, Mr. Lartine. It better be good, Buster. I was not very helpful listening about your friend, Mackey. Say that again. Baby, please. Fire insurance investigation is an embarrassment, but not a crooked one, I'm sure. A city garage burned ten days ago. It seemed to be overinsured, but... Your bar burned down today, and I bet it had plenty of insurance money. Oh, my beautiful bar, baby. Not one penny of insurance. I want your help now. I'm ruined. Not one penny. George. Okay. Come on into the firehouse, into the office here. You leave the door open, Bookson? Yes, but I don't understand. My insurance, I tell you... I heard you, Buster. I heard you. You said it. So, all right. This case has nothing to do with insurance. What? Yeah, yeah. In fact, you make it a whole lot easier that way. But, um... Oh, I know Mackey came here on an insurance case, that garage. And there had been too many fires. But suppose he stumbled into something totally separate, and that's why he got killed. Go on, George. Sure, that's why he was murdered. And the Dutchman got his because he could have told me the whole story. What story? The Dutchman got a phone call and came rushing to an alley near the border. Whoever called from here must have told him where to come. Who? Who is whoever? Yes, how can you ever hope to tell who made that call? Everybody comes in here. Come on now, think, Brooksie, think. We'll never find a clue here. I know that. But what did you say to me? Something you said. You... you were the next person in here, next after the murderer. The cigarette was still burning, remember? You burned your finger. Yes, George. You said you couldn't hear me. Until I raised the mouthpiece. Yeah. Oh, hi. Ran out of beer over the pool hall, got a call at the liquor store. What's the matter? Hiya, Tusco. Long time. Al's a big guy, isn't he, place? What? Al, Al, the guy you work with. Well, cigarettes never sputter his girls. So is Slim. Even Tusco here. Hey, look, what in the name of... But you used to be a jockey. Yeah, put him home at Caliente. Drive a fire engine. George, look, I think all of these smoke... You've been exposing yourself to the sun, Mr. Valentine. I'm sorry, place. Go ahead, call the liquor store. Sure. Signora Valentine. Yeah, Tusco, you kept asking me what else instead of insurance was involved. Well, that's simple, like all of it. But I grant you, I didn't catch on. What's all this? I'm not sure yet, mind you. But all day I've been beating my head against a border with its check stations, officials, and red tape. But once today I went across there without even slowing up. Because nobody would stop a fire engine. International cooperation. Well, I suppose a real smart guy wanted to take things across that border. Wouldn't that be a neat way to do it? You smuggler. Carrying whatever it is in the fire truck someplace. Only being a middle man, he'd have to meet a schedule. He'd have to pick his days. So naturally he'd have to hire somebody to start fires. Then in the crowd and confusion, I suppose it's an easy matter to load up or unload whatever the smuggle goods of the day are. George, about our telephone call, I remember now what I said. I know, I know. He just did it now. Just now, in reverse. See him? Brooksie, you used that wall phone right after the murderer did. You're not very tall yourself. But wait till I raise this mouthpiece. The murderer who talked on it before you must have been pretty short. The jockey, place here, had to shove it down to fit him just now. Look, Mr. Valentine, just because I'm a jockey, so what if she is taller than I am? All this stuff you say, I ain't no... Why, you little... Let go of me! Let go of me! Well, that's it, Sheriff. I guess you can go back to just frying eggs in your street now. The place admitted it was all true. Yeah, sure. He arranged the fires and hired the Dutchman to start them for him whenever he wanted to bring over a load or pick one up. He's so crazy, though. Maybe he should kill men, too. He should do this thing with Mr. Valentine breathing down his neck. Well, the heat was on, that's all. Heat like a snowball. He must have had a hot load in his truck to get rid of, so with us nosing around, it was the frying pan of the fire. He had to go ahead. Like a snowball in a frying pan. Our weather finally got him. Oh, yes, baby, I know. He makes sense. All right, Taxco. But I don't like some of the words you use, either. Oh, please. Please, I know. The Big Shot's not popular, but now I will have to go back to work to build up my bar again, so I will have no time for a big talk. Well, I'm glad to hear it. But that wasn't what I meant. It's a way you keep talking to Miss Brooks. It's that word, baby. So? And what is it, Mr. Valentine, you have against babies? Huh? Well, I don't... Well, I just... That's all, George. The Big Shot The Big Shot You might think that long weekend trips and hundreds of vacation miles would be the hardest kind of driving on your car's engine. But that's not true. Hometown driving is even tougher. For short trips with a cool engine, produce acid-laden moisture inside cylinders, and that can account for as much as 80 percent of engine wear. How do you stop it? By getting RPM motor oil, first choice where driving's toughest. There's good reason why folks will tell you more people prefer RPM than any other brand of motor oil. RPM is compounded to keep a moisture-proof film of oil on engine parts to fight off that rain of acid moisture. It clings to engine hot spots that other oils leave bare, stops carbon and sludge. In fact, it's the finest engine insurance you can buy. Ask tomorrow for RPM, first choice where driving's toughest. Ask at independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard Oil Company of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West. Robert Bailey is starred as George with Virginia Gregg as Brooksy. Let George Do It is written by David Victor and Jackson Gillis and directed by Don Clark. John Dana was heard as Tosco, Sidney Miller as Place, Peter Leeds as Al, Herb Butterfield as Slim, Anthony Barrett as Mackie, and Larry Dobson as the Dutchman. The music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter, your announcer, John Heaston. Listen again next week, same time, same station, to Let George Do It. This is the Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System. Music
